


All In

by ladyofbrileith



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-05
Updated: 2012-09-05
Packaged: 2017-11-13 15:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/505089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofbrileith/pseuds/ladyofbrileith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>BB!Originals! Elijah gets his first glimpse of his new bb!brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All In

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I don't know either. But it's been in my head for weeks, so.

The room is dark save for the glow of the fire as Elijah pushes back the tarp and slips inside. Mother is sleeping, one hand dangling over the edge of the furs to rest against the bundle nestled beside her. Father is out, probably in the mead hall being toasted by the other men for being given a third son. Elijah could hear the roars earlier, a countermand to the screams coming from his mother.

He is glad it is quiet now.

Finn told him to be careful, to not wake the baby, but Elijah doesn’t want to wake him. He just wants to _see_ him. He can’t, though, in the dim light—he’s just a bundle of fur and swaddling and Elijah makes a little face.

With a glance at Mother, he gently reaches for the bundle, holding it very carefully in his arms—even more careful than Father had taught him to hold the newborn kittens in the barn. Walking slowly, balancing the bundle, Elijah moves to sink down by the fireplace where more light shines.

His first glimpse of the baby is less impressive than he might have hoped. His face is all red and bunched up and one fist is trapped against it. With a little frown, Elijah frees his arm, watching as the baby resettles in his lap. When the little eyes open, he almost jumps, but freezes instead, waiting for the cries that will wake Mother and bring Finn from the loft above where Elijah is _supposed_ to be.

There are no cries, though. Instead, the baby stares at him, as fixedly as Elijah is staring back, and Elijah is lost forever.

Finn is a good brother. He takes care of Elijah when Mother is too busy and teaches him things in secret that Father says he’s still too young to learn. When the older boys pick on Elijah for not liking to talk a lot, Finn does his best to knock them down. He tells him stories in the dark when they’re supposed to be asleep, and he promises he’ll always be there.

He and Father both told Elijah things would be different now. Babies take a lot of time, and Elijah won’t be able to snuggle up to Mother as often as he likes to. He isn’t the youngest anymore.

Elijah doesn’t care.

It’s worth it, every bit, he’s sure. Finn is a good brother. He keeps Elijah safe.

He reaches out a finger and brushes over the baby’s—Niklaus, he tells himself--soft cheek. Niklaus watches him with that solemn little gaze, and Elijah smiles.

“My turn now.”


End file.
